Wallingford Foursquare
Seattle, Washington
Location
Homes, Living + Interiors
Project type
Advisory, Design + Construction
Role
This American Foursquare style home is a thoughtful restoration and transformation of a 1908 residence in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. After decades of service as a duplex housing generations of University of Washington students, the home is being carefully returned to a single-family residence, reconnecting it to its original spirit while preparing it for the future.
Challenge
The home had lived many lives, and years of subdivision and deferred infrastructure left both spatial and structural challenges. The project needed to reconcile preservation with reinvention: honoring the character of a historic arts and crafts style home while correcting foundational issues, reestablishing cohesion, and accommodating a multi-phase construction process for a family deeply connected to Seattle’s architectural heritage.
Solution
SCR began by lifting the home from its compromised foundation to start fresh, allowing for the addition of a new basement ADU that serves as a temporary residence during construction. Long term, the ADU is intended to house an aging relative currently living nearby in Fremont, supporting multigenerational living while keeping family close. The broader renovation restores the home’s identity as a single-family residence, while a future third-floor master retreat introduces expansive new living space. Designed with walk-out balconies and large picture windows, the addition captures sweeping views of Lake Union, downtown Seattle, and Mount Rainier.
Materials + Craft
Throughout the project, care is taken to respect the scale, proportions, and detailing of the original arts & crafts style architecture while integrating modern construction and performance. The result is a home that rekindles the warmth and magic of historic Seattle residences—echoing the owner’s childhood memories of Volunteer Park—while confidently evolving to meet the needs of contemporary family life.
